JULY 21 FORD E-NEWS

JULY 21 FORD E-NEWS

EcoBoost propels Explorer to the front of the fuel economy pack

The all-new Ford Explorer is shattering the myth that SUVs get poor fuel economy. The 2011 model equipped with the optional 2.0-liter EcoBoost™ I-4 will be the new midsize SUV segment leader, achieving at least a 30 percent increase in fuel efficiency compared with the current Explorer V6. Electric power-assisted steering, battery management, fast engine warm-up and the first North American Ford application of a variable-displacement air-conditioning compressor all combine to improve driveability, increase efficiency and save fuel.

SYNC®, the voice-controlled in-car communications system pioneered by Ford, is about to get even easier to talk to. Working with voice technology company Nuance Communications, Ford has refined the next generation of SYNC to understand 100 times more commands than the original, making it easier for drivers to get what they want from the system more quickly and using more natural phrases. The upgrades will allow quicker radio tuning, phone dialing, phone pairing and navigation destination entry, among other things, and will be coupled with MyFord Touch™, launching this year on the new 2011 Ford Edge.

Ford vehicles come out on top in annual J.D. Power customer satisfaction study

Ford has been working hard to satisfy its customers, and now that work is paying off. Ford won the most awards in the J.D. Power 2010 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study that measures customer satisfaction in design, content and vehicle performance. Ford took home five segment awards, more than any other brand. The honors are starting to stack up, too. In June, Ford achieved the highest initial quality among all non-luxury brands in J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Initial Quality Study.

Customer demand for Ford’s new 2011 Shelby GT500 is growing nearly as fast as the world’s fastest production pony car. More than 3,300 orders have been placed for the new Shelby GT500, which delivers a new aluminum-block 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine producing 550 horsepower and 510 lb.-ft. of torque. Annual GT500 production has been limited to 5,500 units. The new SVT Performance Package is also proving to be a hit, with nearly 70 percent of coupe buyers opting for the racetrack-ready performance this all-new package delivers.

More than 40 Fiestas from the Fiesta Movement are getting a new lease on life as Ford Racing joins with Team O’Neil Rally School to offer the Ford Racing Fiesta Rally Experience in New Hampshire. The Fiestas will be used to create the only rally experience offered by a manufacturer in North America, and will provide aspiring rally drivers with the opportunity to learn how to drive on a rally course in a Fiesta. Team O’Neil Rally School will upfit Fiesta with a roll bar, rally suspension and off-road tires to be used in its Ford Racing Fiesta Rally Experience and various rally programs.